Michael Lightbody, my friend Foot

I went to Denver today, something I'm just so loathed to do. I don't know what happened to Denver, but I don't care for the place anymore. I did, once, love the place. There was a time when I thought there was no other place on Earth better than Denver. It's really funny because I never really wanted to be in Denver, it was just a place I kept landing in. The first time, in 1992, was awesome. I've belabored Denver 1992 too much. I've probably belabored 1992 Anthony too much too. Denver 2001 after Portland via New Orleans was awesome too. Denver in the early 2000s was fun, and as I was in my early 30s, I was pretty awesome too. I returned to Denver in 2005 after a year of travel, and again in 2013 after a few more years in Portland. But it was that 2001 return that was so wonderful.


Chris was already living back in Denver in 2001. He had done the Portland via Ohio route a few months prior. I came back to live and he was who I lived with. We got jobs. We stayed out all night and drank a lot of beer. I started working at the Thin Man on 17th. A very profound time for me, indeed. Aside from Chris, I don't keep in touch with many people from that time. No real reason. I live in rural Boulder County now and I'm often at home with my family.

I met up with Chris today and we headed to the very south side of Littleton to visit our friend Foot who has been in the hospital for some weeks. There was a time when I was with Foot most of the time. I was with Foot and Chris and the three of us were always doing something. This was a long time ago. I think the last time I spent any time with Foot was about ten years ago. The last time I saw him was in passing at the PS Lounge on east Colfax before Janice and I ran away to the Pacific Northwest in 2010.

Sure, there's Facebook. But it isn't the same.

When I think about the times we had in the early 2000s in Denver, it's just surreal. It feels like a different world. We were different people. But not really. Denver is different, but we're not. We've grown older, but your friends are still your friends.

Admittedly, my friends treat me better than I feel like I deserve. Chris and I have know one another for nearly 20 years. And Foot and I have known one another for at least 15. These dudes have been good to me over the years Fresh Paint was a chapbook that I used at the Sophia Ballou site in July of 2012. I'm somewhat embarrassed by the number of errors in it. July of 2012 found me in Oregon shortly before the birth of my son. I was more concerned with his arrival than old writing. The writing is bad, to say the least. It spans 1993 to 2001. But at the time I was assembling Fresh Paint I was very nostalgic for simpler times in my life. As I assembled this chapbook I was homesick for Chris and Foot the very hot summers in the those early 2000s Denver where we lived. I was great to see them both today, even if Foot was laid-up in a hospital bed. As far as Fresh Paint, I humbly submit it to you now.